Page 55 of The Billionaires' Gamble

“Mr. Hunt’s in the conference room,” Tadhg says, pausing and gesturing toward the door across from Alex’s.

Unlike many of the conference rooms I’ve been in, this one has solid walls and a tall, thick door, ensuring a client’s privacy.

King halts, his biceps brushing mine. “I’ve gotta go. We’re here. I’ll be in touch,” King says into his phone and disconnects the call. Then to me, “Pierce said to let him know if we need anything.”

I nod, because I’m not sure what to say to that. I really don’t want to let my mind go there. And I can’t begin to imagine the fallout when it gets out that we’re all dating Katherine. At this point, there’s no way to keep it silent or stifle the speculation.

One problem at a time.

First, we get her back.

Tadhg knocks and then opens the door for us. Inside, the lights are bright, and half a dozen people are gathered around an enormous table. There’s a massive screen on the far wall displaying a map, and Alex stands like a sentinel over all of them, head down as he studies something on his tablet.

He glances up, those familiar brown eyes locking on me. I swallow the lump in my throat, and he starts our way. It’s wild to see him like this, totally in his element. A warrior. Even weirder, just this morning, he was leaving the house dressed in that same suit. But now, he’s shed the jacket and rolled up his sleeves, showing off toned forearms and a dusting of dark hair.

Alex nods toward the door. “Come with me.”

King stares openly at the screens on the wall, all the computers in the room, and the people doing who knows what to get our girl back.

I squeeze his shoulder and prod him across the hall.

We join Alex in his office, and he shuts the door, sealing us in the large, silent space. Turning back to us, I study him. If it’s not concerning computers, I’ve never been the most detail-orientedperson in the room. Except when it comes to one person, and he’s standing a handful of feet away.

The corners of his mouth are turned down, and there’s a pinch of worry between his brows.

“How are you two holding up?” he asks, that deep voice so familiar. Those watchful eyes flick between us.

“I want to wake up and realize this was all just a nightmare,” King says.

“Same,” I add quietly. “Have you heard anything about Roman?”

“Just that he’s in surgery.”

Why does everything seem to be moving like cold molasses today? Everything except the fuckers who took our girl from us. They’d been at warp speed.

“This is just—does it make me an asshole if I say I never thought it’d be us?” King asks, arms crossing his broad chest like he needs to hold himself.

Alex grunts and crosses to his desk, putting the tablet down. “No one ever thinks they’ll get into a car accident or get cancer, just like no one thinks their number is up that day. That’s why we keep our ears and eyes open.”

He stares us down, striking an imposing figure.

“This is my fault, though,” he continues. “I should have put more security on her and the house.”

My jaw drops, and I step forward, head shaking. “No way, man. This one’s on me. I lost my shit. I said things I wish I could take back and drove her away.”

“I shouldn’t have left her,” King says softly, and I glance at him over my shoulder. His hands drop to his sides and then lift in a helpless gesture. “She said she was okay. I’m not a total idiot. I sat with her a while, but she told me to go after Gabe, and I went. If I hadn’t gone, at the very least, she’d have had more protection.”

“I’m the one who told her—” My jaw grinds, but I push the words out. “To be gone when I got back.”

“She seemed more worried about you than upset about what you said,” King says.

“Again. My fault.”

“We can go ’round and ’round and it won’t change the outcome. I should have put more security on her. On all of you.”

That might be the closest I ever get to an I love you and I can’t even be happy about it.

“Of all the things we could fight over,” I mutter.